The plans for an expansion of the Shell gas station at the corner of W. 117^th Street and Franklin Boulevard took a step forward on Thursday night.

The city’s planning commission gave conditional approval for a proposal that would demolish two homes on Franklin Boulevard and consolidate the three commercially zoned parcels to make way for a 3,000-square-foot convenience store.

But first the project must get approval from the city’s architectural board of review.

Right now, the structure is a walk-up window without a public building.

“What they have now is under-sized and it’s a pretty busy intersection,” said Dru Siley, the director of planning and development. “It’s an expansion of a use that’s in place. It’s a pretty significant investment at that intersection."

As construction of the new Dunkin’ Donuts hummed along next door on W. 117^th Street on Thursday afternoon, the employee working at the Shell gas station said he didn’t know of any such plans.

Paramjit Singh, who owns the gas station and the two adjacent homes on Franklin Boulevard, presented the plans a couple hours later.

One neighbor also attended the meeting, urging the commission to consider such issues as fencing. The plans call for a perimeter fence around the property, per city requirements.

The existing canopies would be replaced, but no new pumps would be added, according to the plans.

The architectural board of review is scheduled to consider those issues at its October meeting.